Closure check



Jan. 1, 1957 w. E. THIBODEAU 2,776,156

CLOSURE CHECK Filed May 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

y yw/ m Jan. 1, 1957 Filed May 14, 1952 w. E. THIBODEAU 2,776,156

CLOSURE CHECK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent CLOSURE CHECK Wilfred E. Thibodeau, Franklin Township, Summit County, Ohio Application May 14, 1952, Serial No. 287,679

10 Claims. (Cl. 292-70) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described in the specification and claims may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a checking and holding device for closures, such as doors, and in particular to a device which combine the functions of a door check and a door latch.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a single sheetlike element of resilient material such as rubber, or the like, generally designated rubbery, in the form of a frustum of a hollow cone with an axial, through opening, cooperates with a stud having a size slightly larger than the said opening, whereby the kinetic energy of the closing door is largely absorbed in deforming said element in a collapsing action, followed by an inversion of the cone frustum and ultimate penetration of the opening by the stud, in which position, withdrawal is resisted.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an improved closure check. A further object is to provide a device which functions both as a closure check and a latch. Yet another object is to provide a closure check which is simple in structure, and therefore easy and economical in manufacture, yet certain in operation. 4

These and other objects are attained by the present invention, certain preferred embodiments of which are described in the specification to follow, and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a rubber door check,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an axial sectional view of the check mounted on a door jamb, and in association with a door having a stud.

Fig. 4 is an axial sectional view of the door check and plunger mounted on a car door, I I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modification, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary views of the door check opening showing modifications of the form thereof.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown in Fig. 3 an arrangement comprising a door jamb 10 having a recess 11. A counter recess 12, surrounding recess 11 accommodates the flange 13 of a hollow frustoconical element 14 of rubber or other rubbery material having an axial through opening 15. Preferably the wall of element 14 is of uniform thickness although some latitude is permissible in this regard, consistent with the purposes and functions of the device hereinafter set forth. The flange 13 has openings 9 and is secured to the jamb or other framework as by screws 16 equipped with washers 17, or an annular metal retainer.

A stud 18, which may have a spherical head 19, is secured to the door 20 or other closure element as by means of screw threads 21, and is so arranged as to Patented Jan. 1, 1957 be axially aligned with ring 14 when the door is closed. In this position, stud head 19 lies within recess 11, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

With the parts positioned as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, assuming that the door is being urged to closed position as by means of the usual tension spring, it will be seen that stud head 19 will seat in opening 15 with some force. Since this opening is smaller than head 19 there will be no immediate penetration, but instead the slanted walls of the ring 14 will provide a toggle action and a resultant resistance with absorption of energy along the walls which materially reduces the velocity of swing of the door, and any movement of opening 15 axially of the ring will reduce the size of opening 15. However, after the initial shock the walls of the hollow frustum 14 will buckle, and this yielding permits stud head 19 to carry the neck or opening 15 into recess 11, inverting the body 14 (that is, turning it inside out) in the process. After such inversion, the remaining kinetic energy in the swinging door operates to carry the stud head through neck 15, there being considerably less resistance to such passage outwardly from within the frustum than in the approach from without. With the stud so engaged, the toggle action resistance to passage of the plunger head is reversed, and the device therefore functions as a latch. However, the latched connection is easily overcome by manual pressure to open the door, the frustum 14 being then re-inverted to normal form and thus positioned in readiness to again check slamming of the door. Preferably, the body 14 is in its normal, uninverted state and unstressed condition when occupying the recess 11, since it will be in such position for the greater part of the time. However, in this regard it is to be noted that the dotted line showing of the inverted frustum in Figure 3 is more or less idealized. Since, when inverted, one side of the wall will be in tension and the other in compression, there will not be a sharp corner at the flange in the inverted form; instead there will be a rounding. In this abnormal position the resistance to collapse will obviously be less than in the normal form, and the choice as to which form will be employed for shock absorbing and which for latching will be guided by such consideration.

In Fig. 4 the device is shown in an arrangement for holding a car door open. As shown, the body 14' is fastened to a car door 22. In this case the plunger 18' is arcuate to accommodate the neck 15 during closing of the door. It will be seen that the toggle action of body 14 against stud head 19 takes place with the door in open position to resist closing of the door. How

"ice

" ever, the resistance is overcome by suitable manual pres.-

sure. In this case the latching functionisof relatively small importance.

In Fig. 5 is shown a car door check similar to that shown in Fig. 4. In this form, the stud 23 has a series of heads, 24, 25 and 26 to provide a plurality of holding stages suitable to occasions when full opening of the door is not required. Preferably, these heads will be of decreasing size from the outer one inward, compatible with the corresponding degrees of energy involved in slamming the door from the different positions.

The exact form of the opening 15 is subject to modification. For instance, in Fig. 6 it is shown as having fmsto-spherical seats 27, 28 to receive the stud head, and in Fig. 7 it has a rounded contour 29.

While the rubber part has been shown on a door jamb it could equally well be carried by the door, and the stud placed on the jam. Likewise, the parts could be reversed from the position shown in the car door example. Also, whereas the frustum has been illustrated as having a particular degree of slant this may be varied considerably to suit particular conditions. A good tire a) tread stock is preferable for the rubber part to provide toughness and long life in repeated use. However, the particular material used is in no wise limiting and various elastomers, including synthetic rubbers and plastics may be employed.

Generally speaking, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated and described, since numerous modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not to be considered as limited except as shall appear from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a checking and holding device for a closure of the type having a stationary member and a member movable with respect thereto, an element of rubbery material of generally sheet-like form, the periphery of which forms a flange for attachment to one of said members, the portion of the element inwardly of the flange having a through opening, inits center, and said portion extending, in its normal, stress-free state, laterally of the. plane of said flange, into substantially trusts-conical form, thereby providing a hollow interior offset from the plane of said flange, said element adapted to be contacted at saidopening by a stud carried by the other of said members, which stud is slightly larger than said opening, whereby motion of the stud is first impeded by contact with. said element at said opening, followed by collapse and inversion of said element and final penetration of said opening by said stud.

2. A checking and holding device for a closure of the type having a stationary member and a member movable with respect thereto, comprising an element of rubbery material of generally sheet-like form, the periphery of which forms a flange for attachment to one of said members, the portion of the element inwardly of theflange having a through opening in its center, and said portion extending, in its normal, stress-free state, laterally of the plane of said flange, into substantially frusto-conical form, thereby providing a hollow interior offset from the plane of said flange, and a stud adapted to be attached to the other of said members, said stud being slightly larger than said opening, w iereby motion of the stud is first. impeded by contact with said element at said opening, followed by collapse and inversion of said element and final penetration of said opening by said. stud.

3. A device as in claim 2, said stud comprising an enlargement for contact with saidelement at said openmg.

4. A device as in claim 2, said stud comprising an enlargement on its distal end for contact with said element at said opening.

5. Adevice as in claim 2, said stud comprising a pair of enlargements for contact with said element at said opening, and said enlargements separated by a constricted, portion.

CPI

6. In a checking and holding device for a closure of the type having a stationary member and a member movable with respect thereto, an element of rubbery material of generally sheet-like form, the periphery of which forms a flange for attachment to one of said members, the portion of the element inwardly of the flange having a through opening in its center, and said portion extending, in its normal, stress-free state, laterally of the plane of said flange, into substantially frusto-conical form, with substantially uniform wall thickness, thereby providing a hollow interior offset from the plane of said flange, said element adapted to be contacted at said opening by a stud carried by the other of said members, which stud is slightly larger than said opening, whereby motion of the stud is first impeded by contact with said element at said opening, followed by collapse and inversion of said element and final penetration of said opening by said stud.

7. A checking and holding device for a closure of the type having a stationary member and a member movable with respect thereto, comprising an element of rubbery material of generally sheet-like form, the periphery of which forms a flange for attachment to one of said members, the portion of the element inwardly of the flange having a through opening in its center, and said portion extending, in its normal, stress-free state, laterally of the plane of said flange, into substantially frusto-conical form, with substantially uniform wall thickness, thereby providing a hollow interior offset from the plane of said flange, and a stud adapted to be attached to the other of said members, said stud being slightly larger than said opening, whereby motion of the stud is first impeded by contact with said element at said opening, followed by collapse and inversion of said element and final penetration of said opening by said stud.

8. A device as in claim 7, said stud comprising an enlargement for contact with said element at said openmg.

9. A device as in claim 7, said stud comprising an enlargement on its distal end for contact with said element at said opening.

10. A device as in claim 7, said stud comprising a pair of enlargements for contact with said element at said opening, and said enlargements separated by a constricted portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,968 Frisbie Mar. 1, 1892 1,013,006 Fairchild Dec. 26, 1911 1,800,578 Webb Apr. 14, 1931 2,690,470 Moorhead Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,592 Sweden Jan. 27, 1942 614,922 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1948 

